Instagram users will be double-tapping to like the news that Instagram will be bringing back its chronological post feature. This means users can see posts in the order they are published, instead of being targeted by an algorithm.
According to Sprout Social, Instagram has over 2 billion monthly active users. The multimedia-sharing platform was also the most downloaded app in the final quarter of 2021.
Instagram fans can now see content on their In-Grid Feed by clicking on either Favourites or Following. Using the Favourites feature, you can see posts from your favourite accounts.
As reported by Daily Star, these include friends, family or accounts you like because of the content they are posting. The Following feature shows new posts from everyone you follow in the order they were posted.
It marks the return of a much-loved feature that was ditched back in 2016 in favour of an algorithm-driven feed that serves you content based on what the app thinks you like. In a blog post announcing the change, Instagram boss Adam Mosseri explained that because the main newsfeed will send you more recommended content, Favourites and Following are being added to let people have more control over what they see.
In a video earlier this year, Mosseri said: "It's important to me that people feel good about the time that they spend in the app. I think giving people ways to shape Instagram into what's best for them, is one of the best ways to pursue that goal."
You can add up to 50 accounts to your Favourites list and alter this at any time. People won't be able to see if they've been added or removed.
To use the new feeds, all you have to do is tap the text Instagram in the top left corner of your app screen and select between the two dropdown options. The changes have been announced following a year in which Meta, Instagram's parent company (formerly known as Facebook), has been openly criticised for the way its algorithm targets content to teens.
In particular, leaked internal documents reportedly showed that the company was aware its algorithm was harming teenagers' mental health. These changes could be intended to address some of these concerns among the public.
